Copaiba has been in my essential oil box now for about 2 years and it has become one of my favorite oils. I put a drop of Copaiba under my tongue every day because it helps keep my nervous system feeling calm, cool, and collected! I also use Copaiba in the roller bottle I call "post-chiropractic-adjustment-blend." It has equal drops of Copaiba, Frankincense, Marjoram, Turmeric, and Peppermint (10 drops each) topped off with fractionated coconut oil. I use it it for any delayed onset muscle soreness from either an adjustment or from a heavy workout. Really helps me recover quickly. Copaiba has a lot of great chemistry in it, which makes it ideal for the nervous system and a better choice than CBD in my opinion. But don't just take my opinion--take a look at the research!
Derived from the resin of the Copaiba tree, native Brazilians used it in traditional health practices. dōTERRA Copaiba oil can support much of the body including the cardiovascular, immune, digestive, nervous and immune systems. Add 1-2 drops of Copaiba oil to any beverage to support your overall health. Incorporate the oil to your skin care routine to reduce the appearance of blemishes. Inhale the aroma of Copaiba oil to calm occasional anxious feelings. Use Copaiba oil to protect and support your cells--take one to two drops of Copaiba essential oil in a veggie capsule to take advantage of the antioxidants—the substance that stops potential damage to your cells from oxidation. You can also use Copaiba oil to unwind. Diffuse Copaiba essential oil in your bedroom and focus on the scent to fall into a meditative state.
So, as you can see, Copaiba is a versatile oil that can be used for so many systems of the body!! But what is the research showing? One recent conclusion of a study I found at PubMed on Copaifera reticulata oleoresin revealed "The present study proved the antimicrobial effects of the Copaifera reticulata oleoresin and its diterpenoid constituents, confirming its wide use in folk medicine for the treatment of skin and urinary tract infections. The inhibitory activity of copaiba diterpenoids against dermatophytic fungi as well as the gram-positive bacteria E. faecium and MRSA is being reported for the first time, providing potential lead structures for the treatment of these clinically relevant bacterial strains."
Pretty exciting, don't you agree?
There is also another study showing participants who received an AromaTouch Hand Technique using Deep Blue oil and Copaiba essential oil "required significantly less time to complete dexterity tasks and showed about 50% decrease in pain scores, increased finger strength, and significantly increased angle of maximum flexion compared to subjects treated with coconut oil." [This came from a study done by
Bahr T, Allred K, Martinez D, Rodriguez D, and Winterton P and was published in the Complimentary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2018]
But why is Copaiba compared so often to CBD oil? It is simple. Both of these oils work with the body's endocannabinoid system. So what exactly is the endocannabinoid system? The ECS plays an important role in regulating many functions within your body, including the inflammatory system, immune function, sleep, appetite, digestion, pain receptors, hormones, reproductive function, and memory. Your body makes endocannabinoids as needed to help with this regulation. These endocannabinoids activate your cannabinoid receptors—cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) [1Battista N, Di TM, Bari M, Maccarrone M. The endocannabinoid system: an overview. Front.Behav.Neurosci. 2012; 6:9]
CB1 receptors, found mainly in the central nervous system, are responsible for giving you that euphoric feeling. CB2 receptors on the other hand are found throughout the body and work to regulate the inflammatory response in the body. Ideally, finding a substance that can stimulate your CB2 receptors without working on the CB1 receptors is ideal. Beta-caryophyllene (BCP) is that substance.
BCP is a sesquiterpene found in hundreds of different plant species. It is also known as a cannabinoid because it interacts directly with CB2 receptors around the body, soothing tissues and helping to manage healthy inflammatory responses. Remember that any compound (group of molecules) that acts on either or both of the cannabinoid receptors is a cannabinoid. BCP does not affect CB1 receptors and there is no risk of psychoactive effects. [A. Chicca et al., “Functionalization of β-caryophyllene generates novel polypharmacology in the endocannabinoid system,” ACS Chem. Biol., vol. 9, no. 7, pp. 1499–1507, Jul. 2014]
Copaiba actually has a higher concentration of BCP than CBD oil does. Copaiba is also a much safer option because there is no possibility of any THC being in it, because it comes from the Copaiba tree resin and not cannabis. CBD oil comes from cannabis and there are 2 main compounds coming from cannabis: THC and CBD. THC works directly with CB1 receptors to give you the psychoactive effects or "high." CBD works indirectly with CB1 and CB2 receptors so you don't get the psychoactive effects, but because of that indirect pathway it is not as effective with the endocannabinoid system either. Copaiba works DIRECTLY with the endocannabinoid system so our bodies know what to do with it right away and it can go to work providing the support to our nervous system and immune system quite effectively.
Safety is another big concern. According to doTERRA's testing department "Our own internal investigation involving analytical testing and evaluation has found that various CBD oils on the market do contain significant levels of THC and therefore could very likely trigger a psychoactive response and/or positive drug test. Our evaluation has also shown that commonly purchased brands of CBD oil can vary greatly in their claimed CBD content." According to doTERRA "Due to issues of legality, as well as limited research and other concerns, doTERRA is not making any CBD products or oils at this time. We are committed to our standard of CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® oils and nothing less. Right now, it is not possible to deliver a CBD oil that meets our CPTG® standards."
BCP is the main chemical constituent in Copaiba essential oil, which comes from distilling the oleoresin of the copaiba tree. A GC/MS analysis confirmed that doTERRA Copaiba essential oil has approximately 55 percent BCP content—the highest BCP content of any known oil. Therefore the amount of oil needed to have any influence on the body is incredibly small. One to two drops is all that is needed. There is substantial evidence supporting the therapeutic benefits of oral supplementation of beta-caryophyllene. Further human clinical trials are needed, but current studies are already quite promising!
For me, I have come to trust doTERRA's CPTG promise, so trying Copaiba 2 years ago was super easy!! Once I tried it, the results were without question! As one of my dear friends often says about doTERRA, "You can't argue with results!" I will continue to use that drop of Copaiba under my tongue every morning and will use Copaiba as needed when my body is in need of a little extra support. For me, the research and testing speak for themselves. Copaiba vs CBD? I think it is a personal decision.
Do you have a Copaiba testimonial? If so, I would love to hear it! Please share below.
Thanks for reading!!